Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?

"Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?"
Song
Published1944 by Hilliard-Currie
GenreCountry
Composer(s)Scotty Wiseman

"Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?" is a popular song written by Scotty Wiseman for the 1944 musical film, Sing, Neighbor, Sing and performed by Lulu Belle and Scotty. It was their greatest hit and one of the first country music songs to attract major attention in the pop music field. Although the song was featured in the movie, it was not released by Lulu Belle and Scotty until 1947 (and then again in 1956). The first released version of this song was by Gene Autry in 1945.[1]

Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters version

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"Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?"
Single by Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters
B-side"Quicksilver"
Released1949
RecordedNovember 25, 1949
GenreEasy Listening
LabelDecca
Songwriter(s)Scotty Wiseman

Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters recorded the song on November 25, 1949[2] and it had a good reception from the trade magazine Billboard who said: "Ditty’s a sprightly mountain-musiker that had its innings a couple of years back on straight hillbilly diskings. Bing and the gals are in top form as they harmonize it to a spanking fare-thee-well."[3] The record entered the Billboard charts on January 21, 1950, and in a four-week stay it peaked at No. 24.[4]

Lulu Belle and Scotty version

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"Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?"
Single by Lulu Belle and Scotty
B-side"In the Heart of a Fool"
Released1956
Recorded1956
GenreCountry
LabelMercury
Songwriter(s)Scotty Wiseman

Lulu Belle and Scotty released their version in 1956 on a Mercury Records 45 rpm single.

Elvis Presley version

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The earliest and easily most prominent recording of "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You" in the early rock era was by Elvis Presley. According to the book of the CD-boxset "Elvis - The Complete 50's Masters", Presley recorded it on January 19, 1957, at RCA's Radio Recorders in Hollywood for his Loving You album. Session musicians for the song included Presley himself on acoustic guitar, Scotty Moore on electric guitar, Bill Black on double bass, D. J. Fontana on drums, Dudley Brooks on piano, Hoyt Hawkins on organ, and the Jordanaires on background vocals.[5] When the song was included on the Loving You album release in July 1957, it immediately prompted both Ricky Nelson and Eddie Cochran to record cover versions of the song. Nelson's was the "B" side of a hit single ("Be-Bop Baby", released in September), while Cochran's was an album cut (released in November). The impact of the Elvis version was felt across the Atlantic.

Eddie Cochran version

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"Have I Told You Lately That I Love You"
Song by Eddie Cochran
from the album Singin' to My Baby
ReleasedNovember 1957
RecordedAugust 1957
GenreCountry
Length2:32
LabelLiberty
Songwriter(s)Scotty Wiseman
Producer(s)Simon Jackson

Eddie Cochran recorded his version in August 1957 and released it on the album Singin' to My Baby. Musicians on the session were:

Other versions

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Charting versions

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Year Artist Chart Positions
U.S. C&W U.S. CAN
1946 Red Foley 5
1946 Gene Autry 3
1946 Tex Ritter 3
1950 Bing Crosby & Andrews Sisters 24
1957 Ricky Nelson 29
1957 Elvis Presley 13
1968 Kitty Wells & Red Foley 74

References

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  1. ^ "secondhandsongs.com". secondhandsongs.com. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
  2. ^ "A Bing Crosby Discography". BING magazine. International Club Crosby. Retrieved September 20, 2016.
  3. ^ "Billboard". December 24, 1949. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  4. ^ Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954. Wisconsin, USA: Record Research Inc. p. 113. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
  5. ^ "Elvis Presley Recording Sessions".
  6. ^ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. 1963. Retrieved September 20, 2016.
  7. ^ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. 1961. Retrieved September 20, 2016.
  8. ^ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. 1964. Retrieved September 20, 2016.
  9. ^ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. 1974. Retrieved September 20, 2016.
  10. ^ Miles, Barry (1998). The Beatles a Diary: An Intimate Day by Day History. London: Omnibus Press. ISBN 9780711963153.
  11. ^ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. 1962. Retrieved September 20, 2016.
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